Mathematical instrument



Wg W35 E. A. TURNER MATHEMATICAL INSTRUMENT Filed NOV. 27, 1955 INVENTOR ,ef/5 ATTORNEYS.

ERA/55T ,4 TUE/v5@ Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,55

1 Claim.

I'his invention relates to the installation of structures of the type having adjustable supporting parts. The conventional transmission tower, such as is used to suspend electrical power lines, may be taken as an example of this type of structure, the adjustable parts being the usual leg stubs and lengtheners provided to eliminate excess excavation and to permit general adjustment, whereby the tower may be properly installed in rolling or mountainous country. As is well known, these leg stubs and lengtheners are detachable parts provided for proper setting of the tower on uneven ground.

It is apparent that certain mathematical computations must be made to obtain the proper ad justments, an object of the present invention being to provide an instrument for quickly and accurately ascertaining the best possible adjustment of such supporting parts. 'Other objects may be inferred.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the instrument as follows:

Figure 1 shows the front of the instrument in use.

Figure 2 is a cross-section from the line II--II in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a fragment of one end.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a transmission tower showing its adjustable parts adjusted in a manner ascertained by the use or" this instrument.

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken from the line IV-IV in Figure 4.

As shown by the above, the instrument includes a base i carrying a plurality of adjustable parallel slides 2 which each represent one of the legs of the tower to be installed and are numbered accordingly. This base bears alined, graduated, plus-and-minus scales 3, each of which is adjacent one of the slides 2. The slides each bear a zero marking d which cooperates with the zero of the scales 3.

A movable template 5, cut to permit reading of the scales 3 and the zero markings 4 on the base and slides respectively, is also carried by the base. This template bears alined scales 6 which cooperate with the zero points 4 of the slides 2.

Each of the scales 3 represents feet, while the alined zero points of these scales represent the 'common base line oi the tower to be installed, this being usually accepted as zero elevation of the installation. Since a transmission tower of the usual type permits only certain set adjustments of its leg stubs, the scales 6 on the template 5 are graduated accordingly. Thus the graduations above these scales zero points represent possible adjustments of the short stubs, while those below represent possible adjustments of the stub lengtheners.

In operating the instrument, it is necessary to 5 kno-W the plus or minus elevation of each of the tower legs as regularly positioned respecting the common base line mentioned. Since each of the slides 2 represents a leg of the tower, they may be moved so that their zero markings l are di- 10 rectly opposite the proper plus or minus elevation readings on the adjacent scales 3. After this adjustment or the slides E the operator of the instrument has before him a graphic representation of all of the towers legs and their relation 15 to each other.

By sliding the template 5 along the base i, the best possible combinations oi the short stubs and lengtheners may be ascertained. Also, the amount of excess excavation for leveling off the 2o ground will be indicated, the length or" any special members needed 'can be determined, as well as whether these members are preferable to extra excavation, and the average change of the base elevation can be ascertained. 25

Figure l shows the invention set for use, it being presumed that a study of the terrain where the tower is to be installed has shown that, respecting the zero elevation, leg No. l has an elevation oi plus 5 feet; leg No. 2, minus 2.5 feet; 30 leg No. 3, plus 0.5 feet; and leg No. 4, 1.75 feet.

Therefore, slide No. l is moved upwardly so that its Zero elevation mark is directly opposite the graduation representing plus 5 feet on the adjacent scale 3. Slide No. 2 is moved down so 35 that its zero mark is opposite graduation minus 2.5 on its adjacent scale. Slides Nos. 3 and 4 are moved so their zero points are opposite the plus .5 and the plus 1.7 5 graduations on their respectively adjacent scales. 40

Inspection immediately shows that leg No. 2 must be the lowest one oi the four legs, and that theotherlegs must be adjusted accordingly. Movement of the template 5 over the slides shows that the minimum of such adjustment can be obtained by using a 4 foot stub lengthener on leg No. 2, and complete adjustment obtained by shortening the short stub 3 feet on leg No. l, using a one foot stub lengthener on leg No. 3 and the regular stub on leg No. 4.

Figures 4 and 5 show a tower installation that is illustrative of the above. The legs 6,.'7, 8 and 9 are arbitrarily thought or" as numbered 1 through 4, and the direction of the line happens to be north and south. Figure 4 shows legs No. 55

1 and No. 2, these being 6 and 7 in the gure, as facing the reader. The cross-sectional line IV-IV is placed at Zero elevation so as to show the slope of the terrain, this being the same as that the instrument is set for. The short stub required for leg No. 1 and the stub lengthener required for leg No. 2 are numeraled 6a and la respectively, these being adjusted as indicated by the instrument. Y

The diierence between the zero'marks on the template,v which represent the normal position of the stubs as applied to the towers legs by the manufacture, and the zero points on the plus-1 and-minus scales 3, shows that the average base elevation of the tower has been raised' 1.5 feet. The template graduations also indicate that six inches of excess excavation are necessary on leg No. l, one root excess excavation on-leg-No. 3, andv .25 of a foot on leg No. 4. It is to be understood that it is alwaysV necessary to excavate to al certain depth to secure proper anchoring and that any further excavating i's termed excess excavation.

It is possible to provide the instrument withr any number of slides, graduated to represent feet, meters, or other desired standard. The

slides 2l may also be provided withA suitably proportioned markings sa whichY represent the ten foot lengtheners supplied by manufacturers with towers to be installed inV very rough country. A second marking ib may indicate twenty foot lenght-cuers. It is to be understood that since the scales 6 on the template 5 are graduated according to the standard adjustments possible with the towers being usedr these scales mayV alsobe changed, according to the specications of towers manufactured by different concerns.

As to the specific construction details of the instrument, the base l may be provided with recesses la in'which springs 2EL are positioned, the slides 2 being shaped to t these recesses and the springs 2a functioning to prevent the movement from being too free. The template 5 may be of celluloid or the like and may slide in recesses Se formed in upstanding ledges' Ib provided by the base I. Y Y

In additon,.the different pointsV on theA scales 2 may be emphasized by differently coloring the portions between them. Also, the base l may be colored diierently to either side of the zeros of the scales 3, and the template may be colored differently to more clearly distinguish the short stub and stub lengthener portions or^ the scales 6.

I claim:

An instrument for use in connection with the installation of a structure of the type having adjustable stub-legs and provided with lengthening legs, comprising a base carrying a plurality ofi adjustable parallel slideswhich each represent one of said structures legs, said base bearing alined, graduated plus-and-rninusv scales, each of- Which is adjacent one of said slides and the` latter each' bearing a. zero marking cooperativeI With said scales, said base also carrying a movable template having sight apertures for reading of said scales and zero points and bearingV alined scales cooperative therewith, the last named scales being each graduated to either sideof a Zero point tor indicate the size'otv said adjustable stub-legs and lenghtening legs;

ERNEST A. TURNER. 

